Gun rack with locking means



Dec. 13, 1966 D. H. BOWEN 3,291,317

GUN RACK WITH LOCKING MEANS Filed July 51, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 M INVENTOR.

\\\\\\ 6 0004 9 H ecu/5A 22 M 9mm 5mm GUN RACK' WI Dec. 13, 1966 Filed July 31, 1964 BOWEN 3,291,317

TH LOCKING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I a 254 H ,230 a 235 232 3g 0 I/ I 4/ ma J 0 240 a Z34 O 0 FIG. 7.

INVENTOR. DUDLEY A, EoauE/V,

477'DE/VEYS.

3,291,317 GUN RACK WITH LGIIKG MEANS Dudley II. Bowen, 2649 Henry St, Augusta, Ga. Filed July 31, I964, Ser. No. 386,704 13 Claims. (Cl. 211-4) This invention relates to the general field of support means and, more particularly, the invention pertains to wall-mounted supports or brackets for firearms.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a wall-mounted gun rack for supporting rifles, shotguns, pistols, and other similar firearms in a horizontal position, and in which is incorporated locking means to prevent unauthorized or illegal removal of one or more guns from the rack.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gun rack for supporting one or more guns in substantially horizontal positions together with means simultaneously operable to lock all the guns in the rack and to unlock the guns simultaneously to permit the free and easy removal of one or al lot the guns from the rack.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gun rack for supporting one or more guns in horizontal positions wherein the guns are held locked in the rack through the extension of a locking pin from the rack through the trigger guards.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a gun rack as generally described above, a single continuous shaft for simultaneously operating the locking pins to move the same from their operative locking positions or to their respective inoperative unlocked positions.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gun rack with means to lock firearms thereon and wherein the means for actuating the lock means comprises a lever disposed within a compartment of the gun rack having a key-locked access door.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a gun rack for the commercial display of firearms wherein the firearms are held locked on the rack by means of locking pins extending therefrom through the trigger guards of the firearms and are unlocked therefrom by the retraction of the pins from the trigger guards into the rack, the pins being simultaneously movable to their locked or unlocked positions through the rotation of a single shaft, together with the provision of means to releasably secure the pins in their locked positions.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a peg-type gun rack together with means for separately and individually supporting a gun on a perforated panel in any one of a number of positions, and wherein means are provided for independently locking each gun to its support means.

The invention contemplates, as still another object thereof, the provision of a gun rack as generally described, supra, together with an improved trigger guard receiving groove whereby the rack may accommodate a wide range of guns.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more manifest from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the gun rack constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail, medial, vertical, crosssectional view, FIGURE 2 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 22 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, detail, crosssectional view of the manually-operable means for actuating the gun lock pins, FIGURE 3 being taken substantially n the horizontal plane of line 33 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

nited States Patent Ofiice Eifilfil? Patented Dec. 13, 1966 FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, detail, cross-sectional view, FIGURE 4 being taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 44 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, perspective view of the locking pin and the mechanism for actuating the same;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of this invention illustrating the adaptation thereof in the commercial display of rifles, shotguns, and similar firearms;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detail, cross-sectional view, FIGURE 7 being taken susbtantially on the horizontal plane of line '7-7 of FIGURE 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 8 illustrates a third embodiment of this invention wherein the gun rack is shown in association with a perforated panel to permit the accommodation of firearms wherein the barrels may have varying lengths and to provide commercial display means therefor wherein the firearms may be supported at angles other than horizontal.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a gun rack constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention, the gun rack 10 being adapted for wall mounting. The gun rack 10 is seen to comprise an open substantially U-shaped frame which includes a fiat horizontally-elongated, substantially rectangular bi ht 14 to the opposed ends of which are fixedly secured, respectively, the lower ends of a pair of vertically-elongated, substantially rectangular side arms 16, 18. The lower ends of the side arms 16, 18 may project a short distance below the bight 14 to terminate in scrolled extensions 20, 22, respectively, if so desired.

Extending transversely between the side arms 16, 18 and fixedly secured thereto by conventional means, is a horizontally-extending, fiat substantially rectangular top wall 24 that extends parallel to the bight 14 in verticallyspaced relationship relative thereto. The back longitudinally-extending confronting marginal edges of the bight I4 and the wall 24 are rabbeted as at 26, 23, and the back lower confronting marginal edges of the side arms l6, 18 are each rabbeted as at 29 (only one being shown), to receive a horizontally-elongated, vertically-extending substantially fiat rectangular back wall 30 which may be secured therein by conventional means, not shown.

The bight 114-, top wall 24, those portions of the side arms 16, 13 spanned thereby, and the back wall 36 cooperate to form a substantially hollow rectangular compartment 32 opening forwardly of the gun rack 10. The compartment 32 may be used to store gun cleaning apparatus (not shown), tools, and/ or small amounts of ammunition, if so desired.

The open forward side of the compartment 32 is formed with an elongated, substantially flat rectangular closure door 34 normally upright when disposed in its closed position. The lower horizontally-extending marginal edge of the closure door 34 is pivotally connected, as at 36, to the front edge of the bight 14. Conventional key-operated locking means 38 are employed to secure the door 34' in its closed position.

As is found in many contemporary gun racks, the side arm 16 is provided with a plurality of gun barrel-receiv ing cylindrical openings 40 which extend transversely therethrough at vertically and regularly-spaced intervals. A study of FIGURES 1 and 2 will show that the lowermost one of the openings 4t} is vertically-spaced above the top wall 24. The side arm 18 is formed with a plurality of gun stock-receiving, arcuately-shaped slots 42 that extend transversely therethrough at vertically and regularly-spaced intervals. The slots 42 each extend through an arc greater than 180 to provide an upwardlyprojecting retainer lip 44, the slots 42 opening into the plane of the front edge 45 of the side arm 18. The number of slots 42 correspond to the number of openings 40 and are disposed in horizontally-spaced and confronting relationship with respect to one another with the center points of each confronting pair of openings 40 and slots 42 being positioned. on a common horizontally-extending axis.

The side arm 18 is also provided with a plurality of substantially U-shaped trigger guard-receiving grooves 46 each being spaced inwardly from the lip and opening into the plane of the lower end of the associated slot 42. The rear edge 48 of the side arm 18 is constructed with a vertical and inwardly extending substantially U-shaped channel 50 having the plane of its bight 52 (see FIGURE 4) coincident with the opening of a second vertical and inwardly-extending substantially U-shaped channel 54. The side arm 18, adjacent to, but spaced below the lower end of each slot 42, is formed with a substantiall horizontal bore 56 which communicates at one of its ends with the associated slot 42 and opens at its other end in the adjacent groove 46. A substantially hollow cylindrical sleeve or bushing 58 is fitted in each bore 56 to serve a function to be described. Disposed-in confronting relation and in registry with respect to each bore 56 is a horizontal lock pin-receiving cylindrical opening 60.

An elongated, substantially cylindrical rod 62 is disposed within the channel 50, the rod 62 having its lower end extending through a passage 64 formed in the top wall 24 and projecting below the underside thereof, the rod 62 being rotatable within the passage 64.

A substantially rectangular plate 66 is fixedly secured as at 68 to the underside of the top wall 24 and has fixedly secured thereto a depending shaft or axle 70 on which is pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, an elongated, substantially flat rectangular lever 72. One end of the lever 72 has a roller 74 connected thereto for movement about a vertical axis. In the full-line position shown in FIGURE 3, the lever 72 and roller 74 are entirely contained within the compartment 32, however, the aforementioned one end of the lever 72 and the roller 74, when pivoted to their dotted-line positions shown in this figure, extend through and beyond the open front side of the compartment 32.

A pivot pin 76 extends vertically through the other end of the lever 72 and extends on opposite sides thereof. One of the ends of a pair of substantially fiat rectangular bars 78, 80 is pivotally connected on the pivot pin 76 and comprises a link 82 having its other end pivotally connected to a pivot pin 84 fixedly carried on one end of a lever 86 having its other end fixedly connected to the lower end of the rod 62. Thus, as the lever 72 is pivoted from its full-line position shown in FIGURE 3, to its dotted-line position indicated therein, the rod 62 will turn clockwise, and when returned to its full-line position, the rod 62 will turn counterclockwise.

At vertically-spaced intervals, one of the ends of a plurality of levers 88 is rigidly connected to the rod 62 and swings horizontally within the channel 50 as the rod 62 is turned. The outer ends of the levers 88 each carries a vertically-extending pivot pin 90 (see FIGURES 4 and to Which is connected one of the ends of a pair of substantially flat rectangular bars 92, 94 which, when taken together, comprise a link 96 having its other end pivotally connected to a pin 98 carried by the inner end of an elongated substantially cylindrical gun lock pin 100.

The connection between the levers 88 and the links 96 with the rod 62 and the pins 100 is identical with respect to the connection between the lever 86, the link 82 with its rod 62 and lever 72.

The gun lock pins 100 are mounted for recipric'ation within the sleeve or bushing 58 and are of such length as to permit the outer ends thereof to span the trigger guard 4 groove 46 and to releasably engage within the openings 60.

A vertically-elongated filler strip 102 closes the open end of the channel 50 to prevent the accumulation of dust, dirt, and other debris which may tend to affect the free reciprocation of the pin within its bushing 58.

It will be noted that the side arm 18 is appreciably wider than the Side arm 16 for it must support, normally, the greater part of the weight of the firearms supported by the gun rack 10. But, since the gun rack 10 is designed to accommodate guns wherein the barrels of the same may include forwardly-located handles, clips, magazines, cylinders, et cetera, it is necessary to provide reinforcement for the side arm 16, and to this end, a vertically-elongated, substantially rectangular, reinforcing rib 104 is secured, by conventional means, to the back inner side of the side arm 16 and t0 the top wall 24.

The gun rack 10, is further reinforced adjacent its upper end, by means of a horizontally-extending, substantially rectangular strut 106 which is fixedly secured, by conventional means, to the side arms 16, 18.

To utilize the gun rack described above, let it be assumed that the lock 38 has been turned to its inoperative position to permit the closure door 34 to be pivoted to its downward position, thereby providing access to the compartment 32. This exposes the lever 72 to the operator, and the operator may now pivot the lever 72 from the full-line position shown in FIGURE 3, to its dotted-line position. This operation of the lever 72 causes all of the pins 88 to move from their full-line position shown in FIGURE 2 to a retracted position within the side arm 18 to completely open the grooves 46. The gun rack 10 is, thus, prepared to receive firearms 108 having barrels 110. To mount the firearms 108 on the rack 10, the outer ends of the barrels 110 thereof are inserted through a selected one of the openings 40, and the breech ends thereof are inserted within the slots 42. The firearms 108 are turned in such a manner as to cause the trigger guards 111 thereof to enter the trigger guard slots 46.

At this point, the operator has two options, namely, he may manually pivot the lever 72 from the dotted-line position shown in FIGURE 3 to the full-line position shown therein, to cause the locking pins 88 to extend across the slots 46 and the trigger guards 111 of the firearms 108 or, he may merely return the closure door 34 from its open position to its closed position shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, and in so doing, cause the closure door 34 to engage against the roller 74 to effect the pivotal movement of the lever 72. Either operation of the lever 72 will detachably secure the firearms 108 with the gun rack 10.

To enhance the appearance of the gun rack, an ornamental strip of material 112 may be secured to the strut 106 at the forward side thereof, the ornamental strip being secured to the strut 106 by any conventional means.

In many of the conventional firearms of the rifle or shotgun type it is not unusual to provide the stocks 114 thereof with a pistol grip 116. The pistol grip 116 may have an undersurface cut on a long or short radius according to the liking of the owner, and to accommodate firearms having this feature, the outer end of the sidewall 118 defining a part of the groove 46 is provided with a substantially triangular bevel 120 in order that the gun rack may accommodate firearms having pistol grips struck on an extremely short radius.

Gun racks designed for the commercial display of firearms and embodying the basic principles of the gun rack 10, described above, are illustrated in FIGURES 6 to 8, inclusive. Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed in these figures, of which one includes the disclosure of FIGURES 6 and 7. The gun rack illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 provides for vertical adjustment of the supporting means whereby the spacing between each firearm 108 may be adjusted and, at the same time,

the barrels 110 of the firearms 103 may be positioned at angles other than the usual horizontal or zero degree angle thereof, as is illustrated in FIGURE 1. To this end, and referring solely to FIGURES 6 and 7, the gun rack according to this embodiment of the invention has been assigned the general reference numeral 200. The gun rack 2th) is seen to comprise a pair of vertical-extend ing U-shaped channel tracks 202, 204 which are adapted to be secured to a back or support wall 2%. The tracks 202, 204 are laterally-spaced from one another and include vertically elongated bights 208, 214 through which extend screws 211 which serve to secure the tracks 202, 264 to the back or support wall 206. From the longitudinally-extending marginal edges of the bights 208, 210 extend, respectively, pairs of sidewalls 212, 214 and 216, 218 to define the vertically-extending grooves 224, 222. Each sidewall 212, 214, 216, 218 is formed with a vertically and outwardly-facing groove 223, 224 and 225, 226, respectively. To serve a function to be described, the sidewall 212 is formed with a plurality of vertically-spaced notches 228 which open into the groove 223. Disposed within the groove 223 is a verticallyelongated, substantially cylindrical rod 62 which is pivotal therein. Fixedly secured to the rod 62 and disposed within the notches 228 is one end of a plurality of levers 88, the other end of the levers 88 being pivotally connected at 99' to one end of a link 96. The other ends of the links are pivotally connected at 98 to one end of an elongated substantially cylindrical gun lock pin 180. This construction is identical to that shown in FIGURE 5, and, consequently, identical reference numerals have been applied to these elements, but to which a prime mark has been added to effect differentiation therebetween.

Reference numeral 230 designates, in general, a master bracket having a substantially rectangular main body portion 232 which is provided with a downwardly-opening, substantially rectangular transverse trigger guardreceiving slot 234. As before, the inner sidewall 236 of the slot 234 is beveled at 238 to accommodate rifles or shotguns having pistol grips of varying radii. The other side of the slot or groove 234 is defined by the upright sidewall 24d.

Extending inwardly from the inner edge of the master bracket 230 is a chamber 244 which opens into the inner end of a bore or passage 242 which is aligned with an opening 241 formed in the sidewall 2449. The rear edge or end of the master bracket 234 is identified by reference numeral 246 and as seen in FIGURE 7, the edge 246 is provided with an outwardly-extending rib 248 which is adapted to slide within the groove 224.

As is seen in FIGURE 6, the inner end of the master bracket 230 is provided with upper and lower flanges 249, 250 each of which is provided with an opening 252 to serve a function to be described. The master bracket 234 is also provided with a slot 254 which extends inwardly from a side thereof and extends transversely therethrough to the forward side of the bracket, the slot 254 being located below the slot or groove 234.

The main body portion 232 of the master bracket 2% has inserted therein a barrel-type lock 256 controlled by a key shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 7, and identified by reference numeral 258. The barrel lock 256 is of conventional construction and at its inner end carries a lock lug 260 adapted for reciprocation within a slot or opening 262, the lock lug 269, when in its operative position, being adapted to extend transversely across the slot 254.

Disposed within the groove 22d and frictionally held therein are a pair of vertically-elongated, substantially rectangular blocks 264 having openings 266 formed therein.

Reference numeral 268 denotes an operating lever having an L-shaped configuration and including a leg 270 and a foot portion 272. The outer end of the foot porii tion 272 is fixedly secured to the rod 62 and is normally positioned below the lever 88. Thus, as the lever 268 is pushed or pulled, the rod 62 will rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

To assemble the master bracket 23% with the U-shaped channel member 202, the operator merely positions a pair of blocks 264 on opposite sides of the lever 88', link 96 and pin 1% (forming kinematic means) and aligns the openings of the blocks 264 with the openings 252 formed in the flanges 249, 250. Thereafter bolt means may be used to secure the blocks with the flanges. In effecting this connection, however, the handle 263 must first enter the chamber 244 with the leg portion 274 projecting through the side of the slot 254 leaving the foot portion 272 disposed within the chamber 244. With this operation, the lever 88 and the link 96 will be disposed substantially within the chamber 244. The rib 248, of course, is inserted within the groove 224 and the pin 100' has been guided through the bore 242 for entry into the opening 241. Preferably, when making this assembly, the lock lug 260 is turned to its down position so as not to interfere with the passage of the handle 268 through the slot 254.

When this assembly has been accomplished as described above, it will be immediately recognized that as the lever 268 is pushed from the rear end of the slot 254 toward the front end thereof, the rod 62 will be caused to rotate, and in so rotating, will turn the lever 88 and the link 96' in such a direction as to cause the pin 1% to be withdrawn from the opening 241 and to move across and open the groove or slot 234. Upon moving the lever 268 in the opposite direction, the lever and link will so move as to cause the pin 100 to be extended across the groove 244 for reception within the opening 241.

With the lug 262 in its up position, this pivotal movement of the lever 268 is prevented, and since the pins ltlt) are adapted to extend through the triggerguard of the rifle or shotgun, the surreptitious removal thereof from the bracket 23% is effectively prevented.

The master bracket 23% may be mounted along the U-shaped channel member 202 at any position convenient to the operator to reach the handle 268.

The master bracket 23% differs from the brackets 276 as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 6, only in the fact that the brackets 276 do not carry the locking means above-described, but in all other respects they are identical.

It is obvious that all of the levers 88' turn with the rotation of the rod 62' at any time the lever 26% is turned. Thus, the gun rack may be left completely open or may be completely closed through the operation of the single lever 268.

The U-shaped channel member 204 has inserted in its groove 222 blocks similar to the blocks 264 and are indicated at 230. The blocks 2% may also be adjusted relative to the groove 222 and are adapted to support an elongated substantially rectangular bracket plate 282 which is connected thereto by means of bolts 284. As in the case of the bracket 230, the rear side of the bracket plate 282 is formed with a longitudinally-extending rib 286 which is adapted to frictionally track in the groove 226. The rib 286 could, optionally, track within the groove 22-5.

The outer face of the bracket plate 282 has projecting laterally and outwardly therefrom a pair of legs 288 which converge toward one another and are fixedly secured to the outer peripheral side of an annular memher 292. The opening 294 in the annular member 292 is appreciable in order to loosely receive therethrough the barrels 116 of shotguns or rifles and in such a manner as to permit the same to be supported with the longitudinal axis of the barrels shifted, if desired,at an angle greater or lesser than zero degrees with respect to the horizontal. To change the axis of the barrels of the shotguns or rifles from zero degrees it will be understood that the pin 1% is loosely engaged through the trigger guard 111 whereby this change of angularity may be accomplished.

It will be understood, of course, that there is provided one of the annular members 292 for the master bracket 230 and for each of the other brackets 276.

A third embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIGURE 8. In this embodiment the master bracket designated at 230' is identical in construction as the master bracket 230 and it is deemed unnecessary to recite its specific construction. However, there are a few departures between the bracket shown at 230 and that indicated by reference numeral 230'. In this last embodiment of the invention the rib 248 has been eliminated and the corners of the flanges 249, 259' are provided with a rearwardly-projecting, substantially cylindrical pin 300, 302, respectively, of which the pins 300, at their outer ends, terminate in upwardly-extending legs 304. The support for the master bracket 230' in this instance comprises a perforated panel 306 having a plurality of openings 308 extending transversely therethrough. T o mount the master bracket 230' on the performated panel 306 it is only necessary to turn the bracket 230' at an angle to the open ings 308 to permit the insertion of the legs 304 therethrough and turn the bracket in such a manner as to cause the pins 300 to enter the selected openings 308 while simultaneously causing the pins 302 to enter other of the openings 308. The bracket 230 may now be pushed inwardly until the flanges 249, 250 engage the outer side of the perforated panel 306.

The construction of the bracket plate 282 is substantially the same as that of bracket 280, but in the latter instance the rib 286 has been removed and the upper corners of the bracket plate 282' are formed with a pair of pins 310 which project laterally and rearwardly therefrom and which terminate in upwardly-extending legs 312, and the lower corners are formed with pins 314 (only one being shown) which also project laterally and rearwardly therefrom. The bracket plate 282' is connected to the board 306 in exactly the same manner as is the master bracket 230'. In all other respects the construction is the same.

The embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGURE 8 has a number of advantages, especially in the commercial display of guns. For example, the distance between the master bracket 23d and the bracket plate 282' may be adjusted to accommodate guns having barrels of varying lengths, it permits a high degree of versatility in the spacing of the displayed guns, one over the other, and offers the same advantage of the embodiment of FIGURE 6 in that it is not essential that the barrels of the guns be maintained in a substantially horizontal position. All these features enable the dealer to make an effective display of his firearms.

The words firearms and/ or guns as used in all of the claims and in the instant specification is utilized to define rifles, shotguns, pistols, hand guns, revolvers, automatic weapons, and all other types of related firearms which include as a component element thereof, a trigger guard and a barrel.

Having described and illustrated several embodiments of this invention, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Firearms support means comprising a gun rack for supporting a plurality of firearms adjacent the breech and muzzle ends thereof and each having a trigger guard, said rack comprising a plurality of vertically-spaced and supported brackets, each of said brackets having a downwardly-opening trigger guard-receiving slot formed therein, a pin for each bracket mounted for reciprocation thereon for extension and retraction of one end thereof across each slot, respectively, and for extension and retraction through said trigger guard, means supporting the muzzle ends of said firearms, and means on said bracket connected with the other end of each pin to effect simultaneous movement of said pins.

2. Firearms support means as defined in claim 1, and means on said bracket operable to render said last-named means inoperable.

3. Firearms support means comprising a substantially upright open U-shaped frame having a bight from the opposed ends of which, respectively, upwardly-projects a substantially rectangular side arm, one of said side arms having a plurality of transversely-extending arcuatelyshaped slots formed therein opening into an edge thereof, said one side arm having a transverse trigger-receiving slot formed therein for each of said arcuate slots, respectively, each trigger guard-receiving slot opening at its upper end into its associated arcuate slot adjacent the lower end of the latter said trigger guard-receiving slots each forming a lip at one side thereof adjacent said edge of said one side arm, a lock pin for each trigger-receiving slot, each lock pin being mounted for reciprocation in said side arm for extension and retraction of one end thereof across said trigger guard slots and extension and retraction through said trigger guards, said pins upon extension engaging the adjacent lip, said one side arm receiving and supporting the breech end of said firearms in said arcuate slots with said trigger guards thereof disposed in said trigger-receiving slots, means on the other of said side arms to support the muzzle ends of said firearms, and means connected with the other ends of said pins to effect the simultaneous extension and retraction thereof.

4. Firearms support means as defined in claim 3, and a top wall extending parallel to said bight in verticallyspaced relation relative thereto, said top wall extending between said sidewalls and being secured thereto, and a back Wall extending between and secured to said side arms, said bight and said top wall to form a compartment having an open side.

5. Firearms support means as defined in claim 4, and a closure door for said open side, said closure door having an edge thereof pivotally connected to said bight and being pivotal toward and away from said top wall.

6. Firearms support means as defined in claim 5, wherein said last-named means comprise a vertically-elongated channel formed in said one side arm, a vertically-extending rod disposed within said channel, a lever for each, pin having an end fixedly secured to said rod, a link having one of its ends pivotally connected with the other end of said lever, the other end of said link being pivotally connected with said other end of said pin, said rod extending through said top wall and having one end of a second lever fixedly secured thereto, a second link having an end thereof pivotally connected with the other end of said lever, a third lever having one of its ends pivotally connected to the other end of said second link, means pivotally connecting said third lever intermediate its ends to the underside of said top wall with said third lever being entirely contained within said compartment when said closure door is in its closed position, and the other end of said third lever being manually-operable to extend the same beyond said compartment when said closure door is moved to its open position to effect rotation of said rod with the consequent retraction of said pins.

7. Firearms support means as defined in claim 6, and a roller on the other end of said third lever engageable with said closure door as said door is moved to its closed position to effect rotation of said rod in the reverse direction to extend said pins across said trigger-guard receiving slots.

8. Firearm support means comprising a pair of vertically-elongated substantially U-shaped channel members disposed in laterally-spaced and substantially parallel relationship, said channel members each including a bight from the longitudinally-extending edges, respectively, laterally-project a pair of vertically-elongated sidewalls with each of said sidewalls having an outwardly-opening vertically-extending groove formed therein, an elongated rod disposed within the groove of one of said sidewalls, a lever having one of its ends fixedly secured to said rod and being pivotal within the channel formed by said bight and said sidewalls, a link disposed within said channel and having one of its ends pivotally connected with the other end of said lever, the other end of said link having its end connected with one end of a locking pin, a substantiallyv rectangular bracket having one of its ends engageable against said sidewalls, said bracket having a chamber formed therein to receive said other end of said lever and said =link, said bracket having a slot formed therein and extending transversely thereof, said slot opening upwardly out of said bracket to receive the trigger guard of a firearm therein, said bracket having a bore extending transversely therethrough and opening at one of its ends into said chamber and at its other end into said slot, said bore receiving said pin for reciprocable movement therethrough, said pin being of a length to extend across said slot for engagement with a sidewall defining said slot, and means connected with said rod to effect pivotal movement thereof whereby said pin may be extended or retracted across said slot and through and away from said trigger guard.

9. Firearm support means as defined in claim 8, and means for rendering said last-named means inoperable.

10. Firearm support means as defined in claim 9, and means engageable within said channel to support said bracket in adjusted position relative to said one U-shaped channel member, said bracket being adapted to receive and support the breech end of said firearms, and an annular member adjustably supported on the other of said sidewalls to loosely receive the muzzle end of said firearms therein.

11. Firearm support means as defined in claim 10, wherein said bracket is provided with a slot disposed below said trigger guard-receiving slot, and said rod actuating means comprises a lever pivotal within said lastnamed slot, and locking means operable to extend across said slot to prevent the pivotal movement thereof.

12. Firearms support means comprising a perforated panel having a plurality of openings extending transversely therethrough, a bracket means comprising a substantially rectangular element having a trigger guardreceiving slot formed therein and extending transversely thereof, a slot formed in said bracket below said trigger guard-receiving slot, a flange extending from opposed ends of said bracket, said flanges each being provided with a pair of laterally-extending pins, said pins on one of said flanges including laterally-projecting legs, said legs and pins being insertable within said openings formed in said perforated panel, a rod disposed within said bracket and adapted for pivotal movement therein, a lever having one of its ends fixedly secured to said rod and being pivotal within said bracket, a link having one of its ends pivotally connected to the other end of said lever, a pin mounted for reciprocation within said bracket and having one of its ends pivotally connected to the other end of said link, said pin, upon pivotal movement of said rod being extensible and retractable across said trigger guard-receiving slot and toward and away from said trigger guard, and a lever fixedly connected to said rod and extending through said last-named slot for manual operation to effect pivotal movement of said rod.

13. Firearms support means as defined in claim 12, and muzzle-support means comprising an annular member adapted to loosely receive said muzzle, said last-named means including an annular member fixedly secured to an elongated substantially rectangular plate, said plate having a plurality of pins projecting laterally therefrom for selective engagement with said perforated panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 106,970 8/1870 Titus 312-220 1,099,522 6/ 1914 Tedeschi 312220 2,161,854 6/1939 Copell 2483 15 2,667,274 1/ 1954 Diebold 21164 2,710,100 6/1955 Vermi'llion 211-4 2,946,452 7/ 1960 Caloiero 2114 2,958,423 11/ 1960 Caloiero 211-4 3,154,281 10/1964 Frank 248201 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

K. J. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. FIREARMS SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A GUN RACK FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF FIREARMS ADJACENT THE BREECH AND MUZZLE ENDS THEREOF AND EACH HAVING A TRIGGER GUARD, SAID RACK COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY-SPACED AND SUPPORTED BRACKETS, EACH OF SAID BRACKETS HAVING A DOWNWARLDY-OPENING TRIGGERING GUARD-RECEIVING SLOT FORMED THEREIN, A PIN FOR EACH BRACKET MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION THEREONF FOR EXTENSION AND RETRACTION OF ONE END THEREOF ACROSS EACH SLOT, RESPECTIVELY, AND FOR EXTENSION AND RETRACTION THROUGH SAID TRIGGER GUARD, MEANS ASUPPORTING THE MUZZLE ENDS OF SAID FIREARMS, AND MEANS ON SAID BRACKETS CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER END OF EACH PIN TO EFFECT SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENT OF SAID PINS. 